So, last week I was back on Arran for my 13th time (probably should have guessed it would’t go well) on BASC/FLS Hind week 4 - my birthday week (and a significant one to boot this year) which I have been fortunate to get for the last 3 years. However, as is sadly becoming the norm, this Arran didn’t get off to a good start with CalMac advising us just before we turned off the M74 to head for Ardrossan that the ferry would be sailing from Gourock! Actually, this turned out to be a blessing as the motorway section to Gourock was quick and straightforward. Arriving early, there was no-one else, no fellow travellers and no CalMac staff! We sat it out - what more could we do - my co-stalker had driven up from Kent that morning and we had been on the road since 07:00 from Bristol - we were shattered. The crossing when it happened was “interesting“ - a quick check of the Shipping Forecast said Gale Force 9 in Malin 
It was also more than twice the distance and when we left the shelter of the Clyde, boy did we know it! Watching the picture of the ferry on the lounge wall swinging with every roll and wondering whether it would actually fall off as we slammed into the next trough helped to pass the time.
Finally, we docked, unloaded and headed for our rental property in Lamlash - the 5th time I’ve stayed there and guess what, the outside lights were on! This is a bit of a running joke/sore since they are controlled from the house next door and the holiday guests invariably turn them off which candidly is a bit of a bugger to navigate the steps, obstacles and gates to get into the wee cottage off to the side. Any how, a quick off-load, exercise the dogs and down to the Pier Head Tavern for a welcome pint (or two) and some food - it was good. A leisurely start the following morning, a good breakfast in Little Rock and the customary browse of the sale racks in Arran Outdoors (must be done - I always come away with something) before heading off to see if we can see some reds. By this time, the weather was turning as the first named storm was continuing to make its presence known with rain and strong winds. Nothing seen bar one (more later) - the deer were tucked up in the forests and why shouldn’t they be……
A final meal that night at the Auchrannie (really very good - Brambles restaurant
) before we start the eat/sleep/repeat of FL to LL stalking over the next 5 days so we retire - bloody outside lights are off again 
What happened next was not expected - a massive explosion, bright lights then darkness and no power - the transformer just up the road was struck by lightning just after 02:00. Then at 4, another explosion and daylight in the darkness as the winds seemed to get to Hurricane force. Suffice to say, no sleep, no electricity and no heating or cooking - the rental was all electric! Heading off for the Monday brief and range test, I decided not to tackle our fellow guests in the main house about the outside lights. We draw range slot 2 and were actually on our beat by noon, exploring where FLS had extended the roads or at least those we could drive as trees were down over every track. That deer we saw, Bob said forget it as the extraction would be a nightmare due to the river in spate and the wind-blown timber up the steep face. We heeded the sage advice of Bob and decide to stalk a forest section on another beat in more of an attempt to move sheltering deer to other sections for later when it suddenly gets dark, very dark. What happened next was stinging hail - large lumps of ice that even inside the forest felt like rocks. The first named storm was having the last laugh. A quick glimpse of 2 deer on thermal and that was that - back to the cottage where there was still no power for heating, lighting or cooking. A quick run to the Coop to get candles and to borrow Chris’ JetBoil, we ascertain that the Drift Inn has power and can feed us - result! We stagger back to the cottage which is still in darkness - the neighbouring house is deserted and the car gone.
I went to bed with my heated long-johns and top on in the cold and damp, only to wake up at 4 sweltering as the power was restored and the heating had kicked back on. Second disturbed night and the stalking that followed during the day, was equally unrewarding. The following day sees the arrival of our second named storm - ISHA. Great week this is turning out to be but at least we were stalking - others gave up trying to get to the island as CalMac didn’t sail due to weather or unserviceabilities. At the mid-week gathering half way through we compare notes - only 2 animals taken over 6 beats by 11 stalkers…….
We head back out to our beat and spy a lone couched animal where we had seen one before but this time it’s right at the bottom of the slope. Leaving the dogs in the truck, we quickly stalk in to 150m - my partner takes the shot and it collapses on the spot - result. Now to get it out…… I quickly phone Chris to tell him the good news as my partner strides off to cross the stream whilst I direct him onto the animal. To my great surprise he there in short order so whilst he starts the gralloch, I set off to get the truck down to the nearest point to him. Having done that, I then set off to join him but, on discovering his gun and rucksack by the burn edge, decide to take those back to the truck first. I cross the burn, work my way up to where I expected to find him and the deer, only to find the gralloch
I then hear his voice from the other side of the stream- FFS
Long story short, it was an orphaned stag calf which he single-handedly dragged out, over the burn and carried up to the truck - kudos
Now, it’s my turn in the chair but despite our best efforts, nothing else was seen - the deer were still preferring the shelter of the forest. Thursday morning started better with 3 animals seen on thermal but they quickly returned to the forest as dawn broke. We decided to stalk in anyway and to my surprise, found 2 of the animals couched barely 200m into the forest. As I positioned my sticks at about 50m, a raven sounded an alarm call and as I went to mount the rifle, an owl then took flight - you could not make it up
And that was it - no further deer seen that day or on the following short morning before we hand kit back in Friday lunchtime and catch the ferry which thankfully, was running (but not to Ardrossan) so back to Gourock and a later start back home. My 13th Arran was the first I had blanked but sometimes, weather, a full moon and conditions just conspire to make it that way - stalking is really a lot of luck (that deer are present) as well as skill once found.
Domestics attended to back home on Saturday, I spent Sunday morning getting my car back into stalking configuration, determined to try my hand again. Progress was made and I headed North to Stroud at 3 - should have been earlier but I wanted to fit the runners to a Junior Jet Sled I had acquired as it was a better fit for my new stalking vehicle than the plasters bath I had been using - besides, it was better for extraction.
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I “inherited“ these 2 farms on the passing of the late Alantoo and coincidentally, today was the first anniversary of that sad day. Only 2 roe were seen in the distance on the first farm and I passed on these to quickly head to the second which I have not visited for some time. There, I had more “luck”, seeing part of a fallow at 200m but frustratingly, not enough to take the shot I needed. I repositioned to the side, expecting it to move forward into better view, only to be frustrated again seeing it turn 180 and head slowly up the bank into ever thicker trees. Dejected, I walked back to the car but a stalk is never over until you are at the car so as I exited the last gate, I scanned the far field only to see 3 fallow jump out of the wood and make their way up a hedge on ground not mine. I slowly moved forward, mounted the rifle on my sticks and waited to see where they went. Eureka - they jumped over a low fence in the hedge into the field that was part of this permission. I let them settle, watched and selected a young doe -150m and, after a short run (heart shot), she dropped. My luck had changed.
I type this raising a glass of my choice malt to the late Alantoo, taken too early and leaving the world poorer without his artisan skills. A kindred spirit, I miss him and his wisdom. Fitting though to take one of the fallow which has vexed him much in later years and pleasing that I am lucky enough to continue his good work on his ground.
RIP Alan - Sláinte
It was also more than twice the distance and when we left the shelter of the Clyde, boy did we know it! Watching the picture of the ferry on the lounge wall swinging with every roll and wondering whether it would actually fall off as we slammed into the next trough helped to pass the time.Finally, we docked, unloaded and headed for our rental property in Lamlash - the 5th time I’ve stayed there and guess what, the outside lights were on! This is a bit of a running joke/sore since they are controlled from the house next door and the holiday guests invariably turn them off which candidly is a bit of a bugger to navigate the steps, obstacles and gates to get into the wee cottage off to the side. Any how, a quick off-load, exercise the dogs and down to the Pier Head Tavern for a welcome pint (or two) and some food - it was good. A leisurely start the following morning, a good breakfast in Little Rock and the customary browse of the sale racks in Arran Outdoors (must be done - I always come away with something) before heading off to see if we can see some reds. By this time, the weather was turning as the first named storm was continuing to make its presence known with rain and strong winds. Nothing seen bar one (more later) - the deer were tucked up in the forests and why shouldn’t they be……
A final meal that night at the Auchrannie (really very good - Brambles restaurant
) before we start the eat/sleep/repeat of FL to LL stalking over the next 5 days so we retire - bloody outside lights are off again What happened next was not expected - a massive explosion, bright lights then darkness and no power - the transformer just up the road was struck by lightning just after 02:00. Then at 4, another explosion and daylight in the darkness as the winds seemed to get to Hurricane force. Suffice to say, no sleep, no electricity and no heating or cooking - the rental was all electric! Heading off for the Monday brief and range test, I decided not to tackle our fellow guests in the main house about the outside lights. We draw range slot 2 and were actually on our beat by noon, exploring where FLS had extended the roads or at least those we could drive as trees were down over every track. That deer we saw, Bob said forget it as the extraction would be a nightmare due to the river in spate and the wind-blown timber up the steep face. We heeded the sage advice of Bob and decide to stalk a forest section on another beat in more of an attempt to move sheltering deer to other sections for later when it suddenly gets dark, very dark. What happened next was stinging hail - large lumps of ice that even inside the forest felt like rocks. The first named storm was having the last laugh. A quick glimpse of 2 deer on thermal and that was that - back to the cottage where there was still no power for heating, lighting or cooking. A quick run to the Coop to get candles and to borrow Chris’ JetBoil, we ascertain that the Drift Inn has power and can feed us - result! We stagger back to the cottage which is still in darkness - the neighbouring house is deserted and the car gone.I went to bed with my heated long-johns and top on in the cold and damp, only to wake up at 4 sweltering as the power was restored and the heating had kicked back on. Second disturbed night and the stalking that followed during the day, was equally unrewarding. The following day sees the arrival of our second named storm - ISHA. Great week this is turning out to be but at least we were stalking - others gave up trying to get to the island as CalMac didn’t sail due to weather or unserviceabilities. At the mid-week gathering half way through we compare notes - only 2 animals taken over 6 beats by 11 stalkers…….
We head back out to our beat and spy a lone couched animal where we had seen one before but this time it’s right at the bottom of the slope. Leaving the dogs in the truck, we quickly stalk in to 150m - my partner takes the shot and it collapses on the spot - result. Now to get it out…… I quickly phone Chris to tell him the good news as my partner strides off to cross the stream whilst I direct him onto the animal. To my great surprise he there in short order so whilst he starts the gralloch, I set off to get the truck down to the nearest point to him. Having done that, I then set off to join him but, on discovering his gun and rucksack by the burn edge, decide to take those back to the truck first. I cross the burn, work my way up to where I expected to find him and the deer, only to find the gralloch
I then hear his voice from the other side of the stream- FFS
Long story short, it was an orphaned stag calf which he single-handedly dragged out, over the burn and carried up to the truck - kudosNow, it’s my turn in the chair but despite our best efforts, nothing else was seen - the deer were still preferring the shelter of the forest. Thursday morning started better with 3 animals seen on thermal but they quickly returned to the forest as dawn broke. We decided to stalk in anyway and to my surprise, found 2 of the animals couched barely 200m into the forest. As I positioned my sticks at about 50m, a raven sounded an alarm call and as I went to mount the rifle, an owl then took flight - you could not make it up
And that was it - no further deer seen that day or on the following short morning before we hand kit back in Friday lunchtime and catch the ferry which thankfully, was running (but not to Ardrossan) so back to Gourock and a later start back home. My 13th Arran was the first I had blanked but sometimes, weather, a full moon and conditions just conspire to make it that way - stalking is really a lot of luck (that deer are present) as well as skill once found.Domestics attended to back home on Saturday, I spent Sunday morning getting my car back into stalking configuration, determined to try my hand again. Progress was made and I headed North to Stroud at 3 - should have been earlier but I wanted to fit the runners to a Junior Jet Sled I had acquired as it was a better fit for my new stalking vehicle than the plasters bath I had been using - besides, it was better for extraction.
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I “inherited“ these 2 farms on the passing of the late Alantoo and coincidentally, today was the first anniversary of that sad day. Only 2 roe were seen in the distance on the first farm and I passed on these to quickly head to the second which I have not visited for some time. There, I had more “luck”, seeing part of a fallow at 200m but frustratingly, not enough to take the shot I needed. I repositioned to the side, expecting it to move forward into better view, only to be frustrated again seeing it turn 180 and head slowly up the bank into ever thicker trees. Dejected, I walked back to the car but a stalk is never over until you are at the car so as I exited the last gate, I scanned the far field only to see 3 fallow jump out of the wood and make their way up a hedge on ground not mine. I slowly moved forward, mounted the rifle on my sticks and waited to see where they went. Eureka - they jumped over a low fence in the hedge into the field that was part of this permission. I let them settle, watched and selected a young doe -150m and, after a short run (heart shot), she dropped. My luck had changed.
I type this raising a glass of my choice malt to the late Alantoo, taken too early and leaving the world poorer without his artisan skills. A kindred spirit, I miss him and his wisdom. Fitting though to take one of the fallow which has vexed him much in later years and pleasing that I am lucky enough to continue his good work on his ground.
RIP Alan - Sláinte
